Facebook India Head Kirthiga Reddy steps down

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MUMBAI: Facebook India managing director of nearly six years, Kirthiga Reddy is relocating to the US in the next 6-12 months due to personal reasons, she said in a Facebook post.

"When my family relocated to India, we knew that we would move back to the US some day. It's a bittersweet moment to share that the return timeframe is coming up in the next 6-12 months. Our two daughters start high school and middle school this coming year— which serves as a natural transition point to make this move back," said Reddy, who was the first Facebook employee in India.

Facebook was at the centre of a controversy surrounding its Free Basics platform in India, in the recently concluded consultation on differential pricing of data services.

"As she had planned for some time, Kirthiga Reddy is moving back to the U.S. to work with the teams in Headquarters. We are extremely proud of the work she has done to grow our global sales business in India. During her time in India, Kirthiga was not involved in our Free Basic Services efforts," said a Facebook spokesperson in an email to ET.

In a very public debate that lasted nearly two months, Facebook tried to push for its Free Basics programme that aims to provide free Internet access to certain apps and websites registered on its platform by striking a partnership with a telecom operator. Facebook was accused of abusing its market dominance to swing the debate in its favour, especially after it launched a massive advertising campaign in India which is said to have cost the company over Rs 150 crore.

The Telecom regulator on Monday barred all forms of differential pricing except in the case of emergency services, putting an end to Free Basics in India, and the social network withdrew the programme from India on Thursday.

"What am I going to be doing? It will be business as-usual over the next 6-12 months. I am working closely with William Easton and Dan Neary as we search for my successor in India. I have also begun to explore new opportunities at Facebook back at Menlo Park," Reddy said.

She added she was excited about where Facebook was in India and its future prospects.

"6-12 months is a long time - so let's make sure we make the overdue coffee catchups happen! I'm grateful to have two countries to call "home," have had this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and look forward to the next one, and have the opportunity to partner with each of you," she concluded.